2.2.3.4. Incubation conditions

Researchers should attempt to maintain their
experimental bees in optimal conditions for both host and parasite, and should
consider the possible effects of growth chamber conditions, as environmental
conditions can have a large influence on both host susceptibility and parasite
virulence (e.g. Kraus and Velthuis, 1997; Ferguson and Read, 2002; McMullan and
Brown, 2005). Although few data exist on
the effects of specific temperatures on Nosema
parasitism in honey bees, it is clear that intra-host development of both
parasites in European honey bees, as well as spore viability, can be affected
by temperature (e.g. Malone et al.,
2001; Fenoy et al., 2009;
Martín-Hernández et al., 2009; Fries,
2010; Higes et al., 2010).

Adult
workers should be maintained in complete darkness at 30 °C and approximately 60-70
% RH in a growth chamber or incubator with adequate ventilation. A data logger
should be used to record both temperature and relative humidity within the
incubator during the course of each experiment.
These data will ensure adequate conditions were maintained, and may
explain deviations from expected results during changes in incubator conditions
as a result of mechanical problems or changes in ambient conditions. See the BEEBOOK paper on maintaining workers in
cages (Williams et al., 2013) for
more details.